Evaluation of Dynamic

Soil Properties
Vibration Problems
I. Natural Vibration Problems
Earthquake
Wind
Wave Action (Offshore
structures)
II. Artificial /Manmade
 Machine Foundations
*Foundation Design
*Isolation
 Vibration Transmission
 Vibration Problems
(Contd.)
III. Construction Operations
 Pile Driving
 Blasting Operations
 Soil Compaction (dynamic deep
compaction)
IV. Traffic Loads
 Railways
 Runways
 Highways
NEED FOR STUDY OF
VIBRATION PROBLEMS

• BEHAVIOUR OF SOILS
SUBJECTED TO VIBRATIONS TO
DETERMINE PARAMETERS FOR
DESIGN
• VIBRATION TOLERANCES NOT
TO BE EXCEEDED

DYNAMIC SOIL PROPERTIES

REQUIRED FOR DESIGN OF
STRUCTURES SUBJECTED TO
DYNAMIC LOADS- LIMITED TO
EARTHQUAKES
 MATERIAL PROPERTIES OF
SOIL THAT ARE NEEDED FOR
PERFORMING DYNAMIC
ANALYSIS OF STRUCTURES
ARE:
• SHEAR MODULUS (G)
• DAMPING RATIO (D)

THESE PROPERTIES CAN BE

DETERMINED EITHER BY THE
LABAORATOY TESTS ON SOIL
SAMPLES OR BY
PERFORMING IN-SITU TESTS
LABORATORY TESTS:

ADVANTAGES:
 CONTROL OF TEST VARIABLES
 PARAMETRIC STUDIES
 RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE
 BOUNDARY CONDITIONS MAY BE
STUDIED
DISADVANTAGES:
 VERY SMALL VOLUME OF SOIL
STUDIED
 SAMPLE DISTURBANCE
 MUST MODEL IN-SITU
CONDITIONS

IN-SITU TESTS:

ADVANTAGES:
 TESTS A LARGE VOLUME OF SOIL
 MODELS IN-SITU CONDITIONS
DISADVANTAGES:
 RELATIVELY EXPENSIVE
 BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE
 TEST VARIABLES DIFFICULT TO
CONTROL

PROFESSION PUTS EMPHASIS ON

IN-SITU TESTS THOUGH
USEFULNESS OF LABORATORY
TESTS CANNOT BE
UNDERESTIMATED.

IN FACT, THERE IS A NEED TO

COMBINE LABORATORY AND FIELD
TEST METHODS.

THIS LECTURE DEALS WITH BOTH

LABORATORY AND FIELD TESTS
FOR EVALUATION OF DYNAMIC
SOIL PROPRTIES
• LABORATORY TESTS
• THE MOST COMMONLY EMPLOYED
METHODS FOR DETERMINATION
OF DYNAMIC SOIL PROPERTIES
ARE:
1. RESONANT COLUMN TEST
2. CYCLIC TRIAXIAL TEST
3. CYCLIC SIMPLE SHEAR
TEST
1. CYCLIC TORSIONAL SHEAR
TEST
2. BENDER ELEMENTS
• RESONANT COLUMN
TEST:
• MOST COMMONLY EMPLOYED TEST
FOR EVALUATION OF G AND D FOR
SOIL AT LOW STRAIN LEVELS
(TYPICALLY 10-5%) AND VARIATION
OF THESE PROPERTIES WITH
SHEARING STARIN (G & D BEING
STRAIN DEPENDANT)
• FIXED –FREE SYSTEM AT CSMRS. IN
THIS A CYLINDRICAL SOIL SPECIMEN
IS FIXED AT BOTTOM AND FREE TO
OSCILLATE AT TOP.
• A COIL-MAGNET DRIVE MECHANISM
ATTACHED TO THE TOP OF SPECIMEN
IS USED TO VIBRATE THE COMBINED
SYSTEM IN TORSIONAL MOTION.
• THE SPECIMEN IS EXCITED AT FIRST
MODE TORSIONAL RESONANCE AT
FREQUENCIES >15Hz.
• SHEAR MODULUS IS
DETERMINED FROM
RESONANT FREQUENCY
COMBINED WITH SYSTEM
CONSTANT AND SPECIMEN
PROPERTIES.
• MATERIAL DAMPING IS
DETERMINED FROM FREE
VIBRATION DECAY CURVE
WHICH IS GENERATED BY
SWITCHING OFF POWER TO
DRIVE SYSTEM AT
RESONANCE.
• CYCLIC TRIAXIAL TEST:
• INVOLVES APPLICATION OF CYCLIC
COMPRESSION-EXTENSION LOAD ON
CYLINDRICAL SPECIMEN
CONTROLLING STRESS OR STRAIN
• DOES NOT TRULY REPRESENT FIELD
LOADING CONDITIOND DURING
EARTHQUAKES
• USED TO DETERMINE CYCLIC
STRENGTH(LIQUEFACTION
POTENTIAL)
• PROPERTIES DETERMINED ARE IN
THE HIGH STRAIN RANGE. SO
RELIABILITY IN LOW AND MEDIUM
STRAIN LEVELS IS LOW
• CYLINDRICAL SPECIMEN (H/D=2-2.5)
IS CONFINED TO DESIRED
CONFINING PRESSURE, SATURATED
AND SUBJECTED TO CYCLIC
LOADING UNDER UNDRAINED
CONDITIONS.
• LOAD , DEFORMATION AND PORE
WATER PRESSURE ARE MONITORED.
Cyclic Triaxial Test
Equipment
• CYCLIC SIMPLE
SHEAR TEST:
• PERFORMED ON A SHORT
HEIGHT CYLINDICAL SPECIMEN
(70MM DIA & 20MM HEIGHT) BY
APPLYING CYCLIC TANGENTIAL
LOAD.
• SIMULATES FIELD LOADING
CONDITIONS MORE CLOSELY.
• NOT SO COMMONLY AVAILABLE
EQUIPMENT AS CYCLIC TRIAXIAL
• USEFUL FOR DETERMINATION OF
CYCLIC STRENGTHOF SOILS
• RELIABILITY OF MEASUREMENTS AT
LOW AND MEDIUM STRAINS IS REDUCED
BECAUSE OF SHEAR STRESSES AND
STRAINS NOT BEING UNIFORM WITHIN
THE SPECIMEN
• TEST PROCEDURE IS SIMILAR TO THAT
OF CYCLIC TRIAXIAL TEST EXCEPT THAT
DIRECTION OF CYCLIC LOADING IS
TANGENTIAL.
• BECAUSE OF MORE AVAILABILITY OF
CYCLIC TRIAXIAL TEST EQUIPMENT,
SOME RESEARCHERS HAVE DEVELOPED
CORRELATIONS BETWEEN CYCLIC
TRIAXAIL AND CYCLIC SIMPLE SHEAR
TEST RESULTS.
Cyclic Simple Shear test Equipment
• CYCLIC TORSIONAL
SHEAR TEST:
• APPLIES CYCLIC TORQUE TO
AUPPER BASE OF A CYLINDRICAL
SLENDER SPECIMEN.
• TORSIONAL LOAD IS APPLIED
USING ELECTRO-MAGNETIC
SHAKERS.
• HOLLOW CYLINDRICAL
SPECIMENS ARE COMMONLY
USED AS SHEAR STRESSES AND
STRAINS ARE ON THE ANNULAR
SPACE OF SPECIMEN TOP.
• RELIABILITY OF MEASUREMENTS
AT SMALL AND MEADIUM
STRAINS IS HIGH
• NOT SUITABLE FOR CYCLIC
STRENGTH AS IT IS NOT POSSIBLE
TO BRING SPECIMEN TO FAILURE
WITH ELECTROMAGNETIC
HAKERS.
• BENDER ELEMENTS:
• BENDER ELEMENTS ARE ACTIVE
(TRANSMITTER) AND PASSIVE
(RECEIVER) TRANSDUCERS OF
MADE FROM PEIZOCRYSTALS.
• TRANSMITTER IS EXCITED TO
GENERATE A SINGLE PULSEWHICH
IS PICKED UP BY RECEIVER.
• SHEAR WAVE VELOCITY IS
COMPUTED FROM TIME RECORD
AND SPECIMEN LENGTH BETWEEN
TRANSDUCERS.
• G0 = ρ Vs2
IN-SITU TESTS:

 BORE HOLE TESTS

 SEISMIC CONE PENETRATION TEST
 SPECTRAL ANALYSIS OF SURFACE
WAVES TEST

BORE HOLE TESTS:

DOWN HOLE TEST
UPHOLE TEST
CROSS HOLE TEST

DOWN HOLE TEST:

 USES ONE BORE HOLE AND
SUITABLE IN LIMITED SPACE
 HORIZONTAL IMPACT SOURCE ON
SURFACE;
GEOPHONE IN THE BORE HOLE;
 INCLINED PATH AND FIRST ARRIVAL
OF SHEAR WAVES ARE USED TO
DETERMINE SHEAR WAVE
VELOCITY (Vs)
UP HOLE TEST:

USES SPT HAMMER AT THE

BOTTOM OF HOLE TO PRODUCE
UPWARDS TRAVELLING WAVE
A SMALL POTION OF ENERGY
REACHES TO SURFACE IN FORM OF
SHEAR WAVE ENERGY
NOT COMMONLY EMPLOYED

CROSS HOLE TEST:

CONSISTS OF GENERATING SEISMIC

WAVES AT A PARTICULAR LEVEL IN
ONE BORE HOLE AND RECORDING
SEISMIC WAVE ARRIVALS AT SAME
LEVEL IN ONE OR MORE
NEIGHBOURING HOLES. Vs IS
CALCULATED FROM KNOWN
DISTANCE BETWEEN HOLES AND
MEASURED TRAVEL TIMES
Cross hole Test Setup
• MOST COMMONLY
EMPLOYED TEST.
EQUIPMENT COMPRISES
OF ENERGY SOURCE
(HAMMER), GEOPHONES
AND SIGNAL PROCESSING
SEISMOGRAPH.
• THREE HOLES ARE USE TO
ELIMINATE DELAY
TRIGGER TIME.
• NEEDS CASING OF HOLES
AND GROUTING OF
ANNULAR SPACE.
• ELABORATE AND
EXTENSIVE FIELD WORK.
Cross Hole Hammer and
Triaxial Geophone
 Cable Reels and
Geophone Assembly
 Shear Wave Velocity Vs (m/sec)

300 650 1000 1350 1700

155
Test1
153
Test2

151 Test3
Test4
149
Test5

147 Test6
Test7
145
R.L. (m)

143

141

139

137

135

133
SEISMIC CONE PENETRATION TEST

CONE PENETRATION TEST WITH A

SEISMIC CONE IS GAINING POPULARITY
AS IT DETERMINS Vs AT THE DESIRED
DEPTHS BESIDES GIVING A PROFILE OF
VARIATION OF TIP RESISTANCE AND
SLEEVE FRICTION WHICH IS USED FOR
STRATIGRAPHY AND DETERMINATION OF
OTHER GEOTECHNICAL PARAMETERS.
SHEAR WAVES ARE GENERATED AT THE
SURFACE BY STRIKE OF A HAMMER
HORIZONTALLY AND PICKED BY THE
SEISMIC SENSOR IN THE BODY OF THE
CONE.

ADVANTAGES:
 NO BORE HOLES AND CASING NEEDED
 RAPID AND CONCEPTUALLY SIMPLE

DISADVANTAGES:
 NOT SUITABLE SITES WITH GRAVELS AND
BOULDERS
 DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION NEEDS
TO BE CAREFULLY DONE.
20T Seismic CPT
 SPECTRAL ANALYSIS OF SURFACE
WAVES
NEW SURFACE SEISMIC
TECHNIQUE FOR EVALUATING
ELASTIC PROPERTIES

ADVANTAGES:
 PERFORMED FROM SURFACE
 SIMPLE SET UP AND TEST
PROCEDURE
 NON DESTRUCTIVE (NO BORE
HOLES)
 COST EFFECTIVE
 HAS POTENTIAL OF BECOMIC
FAST AUTOMATED PROCEDURE.
 ESPECIALLY WELL SUITED FOR
HARD TO SAMPLE SOILS
DEPOSITS LIKE GRAVELS AND
COBBLES.
 SASW TEST
(CONTD.)
DISADVANTAGES:
 POWERFUL IMPACT FOR SOIL
LAYERS DEEPER THAN 30M.
 RESOLUTION IS LOST AS
PROFILING DEPTH INCREASES.
 OBTAING A UNIQUE SOIL PROFILE
BECOMES AMBIGUOUS TASK FOR
IRREGULAR SOIL DEPOSITS
TEST IS BASED ON ANALYSIS OF
PROPAGATION OF RAYLEIGH WAVES
GENERATED BY APPLYING A
VERTICAL PULSE ON THE SURFACE
OF SOIL. THE RECEIVERS ARE
LOCATED SYMMETRICALLY WITH
REFERENCE TO VERTICAL PROFILE
INVESTIGATEDTHE DEPTH IS
PROPORTION TO THE WAVE LENGTH
λ
 SASW Test (Contd.)
λR
R =VR/f , WHERE VR AND f ARE THE
VELOCITYAND FREQUENCY OF THE
SURFACE WAVES

BY DECOMPOSING TRANSIENT SURFACE

WAVES INTO FOURIER COM PONENTS,
VPH IS CALCULATED AND AN
EXPERIMENTAL DISPERSION CURVE
WHICH IS REPRESENTATIVE OF SUBSOIL
SHEAR STIFFNESS PROFILE (VPh: λ )IS
CONSTRUCTED.

A SUBSOIL PROFILE IS THEN ASSUMED

AND A NUMERICAL INVERSION
PROCEDURE IS IS USED TO DEVELOP A
THEORETICAL DISPERSION CURVE
WHICH IS COMPARED WITH
EXPERIMENTAL DISPERSION CURVE. AN
ASSUMED PROFILE ,THE THEORETICAL
DISPERSION CURVE OF WHICH
MATCHES THE EXPERIMENTAL CURVE,
IS THE ACTUAL SHEAR WAVE VELOCITY
PROFILE.
Multichannel Analysis of
Surface Waves (MASW)
Test
 MASW Test
• Non-destructive surface wave
method which utilizes the
dispersive nature of Rayleigh wave

• Propagation velocity is dependent

on wavelength as well as the
material properties of the medium

• Rayleigh wave dispersion

characteristics are observed .
Estimation of the Vs profile of
subsurface is accomplished by
applying the process of inversion